Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-25
THE ONLY GENUINE re

changing of sex, nationality, costume and
anguages. The angry remonstranCes of
NuYers, against the exactions Of vendors,
the Joyous shouts of countless children,
delicious music from the military band
in the z0C0lO, your own CALCULATIONS OF
pain and remonstrance as some big fell
| low plants his whole weight upon your
| favorite toe, or knocks your high hat
over your eyes, and 8 big permanent dent
in it at the same time with ham or some
other article that he is carrying over his
| shoulder, form the obligato accompani
ment to this most brilliant and varied
scene, which is enacted in climate
whose temperature is never above so on
the hottest day nor below co. on the
coolest night ia sill the year, and beneath
sky.clear as crystal, whose starlight and
moonlight have briIliancy and power
unknown in the states. If you succeed in
purchasing box of sWeetmeats for your
! children or querrida (5weetheart) without
paying more than double its value, and IN
getting it home without encounteriDg any
more serious mishap than those l have
already mentioned, you may consider
yourself very fortunate man.
IL Navidsd or Christmas brings its
pleasures, it also illustrates the truth of
the old saying that there is no rose with
out thorn, by bringing some unpleasant
features also. Among the latter may
include the indispensabl ard expensive
duty of ali old friends and tertulisnOs
(members Of the same circle Of dcquaint-
ances) to set their wits ID work and
empty their purses in regalOs Greats of
swaetmeats and frioleros (trifles) 20 all
who have any right or reason to
expect them. Such as ssoire to
be hnezas (gallants) must Invite their
fair friends to assure themselves OF the
excellence of the confectioner's wares,
and troops of bewitchiDg senoritas may
be seen in the sweetmeat shops of the
Gale de San Francisco, Gale de los Pa
teros and other fashionable thorough
fares, readily complying with the invita-
lions OF their debonair escorts and swal-
lowing elsborately constructed cslses,
csramelos, chocolates and custards by the
dozen, with that ease and grace SO char-
acteristic of their sex.
These fattering little attentions are but
the preliminaries or preludes to the i'm
portant ceremony Ct celebrating the
noche buena Or Christmas Eve. This
family enjoyment, to which only few
relatives or very intimate friends are ad
mitted. T. is not considered delicate for
| the less intimate members OF the tertulia
circle of acquaintance to present them
selves on that occasion. II they do, tney
must say adios (good-bye)
before 10 o'clock. The repeated idssy
oneltas (goipgs out end comlngs in of
= no La IN of 10
and the mysterious looks and signs of the
servants st the half-opened door will save
the non intimate the trouble of consulting
their watches. At the first Of such indi-
cations they may safely and dlscreetly
AXE their hats and rest perfectly assured
that they are comforting favor by going.
When the family are left to themselves
there is some slipping OF wine and nib
bling of refreshments. jokes arc passed
and memories Of by-gone Christmas ewes
recalled; and so the time passes until
every watch in the room declares that 1t
wants but q quarter to -.
"And we are sitting herel We shall be
late for the misa del gallo (mass OF the
cock! Jusnits, bring me my shawl!
"And mine, too. What church shall
We go to2 SAINTS Domingo, La Proiesa
or Santa Bril- da? I would prefer the
last if it were not so far, for the music
| there is always so Fl le."
81 propose that we go to Is Profess,
| Sonora, II is near aud ii the orchestra is
not so large as it might be one is always
sure of meeting good company there.
Then it is always we'll attended and the
muchachas (Voung ladies' will see ali the
lechuginOs (Iudes) in the capital"
The mass of the cock above aluds d to
is 8 high mass OF the grandest. most i'm
posing character, which is celebrated
With the greatest pomp and ceremony in
every enc OF the 126 Catholic churches in
the City OF Mexico ex.ctly at midnight
on Christmas Eve, or morning, TO com
memorste the birth Of our Saviour. All
Of the large, furnishing churches have 3
greatly augmented choir end large or
chestra specially engaged for he occa-
sion. The affairs and the entire church
are deliberately decorated and brilliantly
| illuminated. The Eegs Is celeerat7d
by q long train Of priests and
ac0ytes with every circumstance and
concomtant that can In any way heighten
its effect and grandeur. In the grand Old
Cathedral there is displayed complete
| presentation OF the nativity in wax
uSuIeS VI lile - Gun luuCHo pIUplcuaui
| very like the original. and at midnight
the signal for the mass to begin is given
by the crow of real cock. TGis mid
night service Is largely attended, and is
highly edifying 10 see so many Christians
out of their beds st such an hour and for
such purpose, though it is scarcely to
be supposed thst they are all sctuated
solely by religious motives. The bevies
of young ladies and groups Of young men
who throng the sacred edifce arrange,
long beforehand, to make the round OF
the churches together, as they thus Sc
cure opportunities to whisper sweet
things in each others ears not so easy to
obtain at home.
The ladies and gentlemen OF our ter
trelis, above mentioned, having deter
mined on visit to the midnight mass at
the Church of L, Profess, are soon heard
chatting alorg the street.-The high orszen-
shod heels, for which all Mexican ladies
have great fondness, sustaining STAG
cato accompaniment to the voices OF their
mistresses. They wend their WY up the
Gale de Ssn Francisco TO the corner OF
the third thoroughf.re of that name, and